A senior IMF official met Egypt's
government on Monday to discuss a vital $4.8 billion loan as the
Islamist-led state battles to contain a currency crisis set off
by political turmoil that is depleting its foreign reserves.

The IMF's Middle East and Central Asia director, Masood
Ahmed, met Prime Minister Hisham Kandil at the start of a visit
coinciding with a sharp decline in the value of the Egyptian
pound, which has hit a series of record lows against the dollar.